HELL'S HALF ACRE a gripping murder mystery full of twists (Coffin Cove Mysteries Book 2) JACKIE ELLIOTT (tohfa e dulha read online .txt) š
- Author: JACKIE ELLIOTT
Book online Ā«HELL'S HALF ACRE a gripping murder mystery full of twists (Coffin Cove Mysteries Book 2) JACKIE ELLIOTT (tohfa e dulha read online .txt) šĀ». Author JACKIE ELLIOTT
An officer interrupted, āIs it a possible murder-suicide, sir? Or a suicide pact? Given the recent discovery of their son?ā
āNo. Itās a reasonable theory, except forensics believe Dennis was shot first, and although there may have been an attempt to make it look like a suicide, because Dennis was shot in the side of the head, the angle is all wrong. But the safe was left open, and Dennis left a note. So itās possible heād intended to kill himself but was helped along. Dennis also reeked of booze, and there was an empty bottle of Jack Danielās at the scene. The coroner says itās unlikely he could have held his hand steady enough to fire a shot.ā
āWhat did the note say, sir?ā
Vega preferred the questions to come at the end, but he grabbed his notebook.
āThe note specifically is not addressed to anyone. But it was in the same envelope with the housekeeperās name on and it was full of cash. Joanna Campbell, the housekeeper and unfortunate soul who found the victims this morning, said Dennis always left her cash on his desk. The note says just one thing: āI am responsible for the death of Daniel Ellis. I am truly sorry. I have always loved Sandra. I am so sorry. Dennis.āā
āNothing about Ricky? And who is Daniel Ellis?ā another officer asked.
āAll questions we need answering, and quickly,ā Vega said briskly. āAt the moment, we have one person connected to all three deaths: Lee Dagg. Lee is Nadineās husband. We know from more than one statement that Nadine and Dennis Havers were having an affair and werenāt too discreet about it. The affair had been going on for years. Several people confirm that Lee was pretty fed up with his marriage and Nadine was, letās say, a āhigh-maintenanceā wife who liked to spend beyond their means. Ricky Haversā remains were found on the Daggsā land ā in the middle of the woods, where people would be unlikely to walk.ā
āWasnāt it Katie Dagg who found Ricky?ā
āGood point, Officer. Katie Dagg arranged a field trip of sorts for the historical society, and by Leeās own admission, he had no idea the event was taking place. Our working theory, based on the evidence we have at the moment, is Lee Dagg, a humiliated husband, seeks revenge on his wife and her lover by first snatching the loverās son and killing him and then, when the affair doesnāt end, killing his wife and her lover. There doesnāt seem to be a reason for killing Sandra unless she was just collateral damage.ā
The room was silent. Everyone seemed to be taking it in.
Then an officer said, āLee Dagg wasnāt at the Fat Chicken. He could have dropped Nadine off, and then gone to the Haversā, killed them both and then come back to pick up Nadine, right?ā
Vega nodded.
āDagg was informed of Nadineās death as her next of kin earlier today. So far, heās been unable to tell us where he was all night. Katie says she heard him come home in the early hours, and she assumed it was Lee and Nadine, after the belly dancing night. She says she was at the neighbourās house all evening, and her dad wasnāt home when she got back. She thought he was at the Fat Chicken. Everyone at the pub confirms he was not there.ā
Vega looked around the room.
āThere are holes in this theory. I want you all to gather evidence, please. Keep an open mind. Do not discard evidence or statements that donāt fit with this,ā he added, and he banged the whiteboard. āToo many investigations have gone sideways because we only looked at evidence that worked with our theory. But we do need to know where Lee Dagg was all night.ā
āWe also need to know who Daniel Ellis was,ā Sergeant Fowler said. āHe was important enough for Dennis Havers to be thinking of him just before he died, so heās important to us. Was this killing revenge for Daniel Ellisās death?ā
Vega let Fowler take over and assign tasks to the team. She was efficient and knew what needed to be done.
āOK, folksāā he looked at his phone ā āitās six. Grab something to eat, get on with your assignments and weāll meet at eleven. Letās make progress, please.ā
PC Matt Beaufort knocked on the door.
āInspector? I think you need to hear this. Summer Thompson is in an interview room. She says her daughter Jade is missing.ā
āThe mayorās missing?ā Vega was astonished. Then he remembered Andi had told him Jade hadnāt made it to the Fat Chicken.
āOK,ā he told PC Beaufort, āIām coming.ā
He threw a glance at his whiteboard as he left the room. He knew heād told his team to follow the evidence and not the theory, but was it possible Jadeās disappearance was connected? And did that mean they had no leads at all?
Chapter Thirty-Three
Summer Thompson stood up as Inspector Vega entered the interview room. She looked anxious, and he saw she was rubbing her hands nervously. He saw Matt Beaufort had supplied Summer with a cup of tea which she hadnāt touched. Matt had also started to take some notes.
Vega gestured for Summer to sit down at the table and also indicated for Matt to take one of the empty chairs. Vega sat down in the other.
āOK, Summer,ā he said, āMatt here is going to take notes as we chat and then weāll get all available officers out looking for Jade. Letās start with when you last saw her.ā
Summer took a deep breath.
āI saw her yesterday when she left for work. I didnāt actually see her. She likes to be quiet in the mornings, get her head together for the day ahead, so I give her some privacy. But I got up and watched her car drive away.ā
Vega raised his hand.
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